


Exit, pursued by a bear

by starlightwalking



Series: Ataquenta Silmarillion [19]
Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Back to Middle-Earth Month, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2021-01-06 04:56:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21220952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightwalking/pseuds/starlightwalking
Summary: Bëor and Finrod have a soft moment.





	Exit, pursued by a bear

**Author's Note:**

> still catching up on b2mem but this was a fun quick one!  
for march 28, part b, ([part a was here](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/b2mem2019/works/18979657); they're completely unrelated): "Wise Old Man" from the Archetypes card and "Exit, pursued by a bear" from the Shakespeare Quotes card.

Nóm stroked his chest gently, tangling his delicate fingers in Balan's soft gray hairs. "Age becomes you, dear Bëor," he murmured. "Ai, it grieves me to know you shall die!"

Balan chuckled. He had long since become accustomed to Nóm's morbid curiosity of death, its intricacies and differences between mortals and his fey-folk. "My sons and theirs shall live out my legacy," he said. "What is death but another mountain to climb? I cannot see beyond it until I have crossed."

"You are brave, to come this far west and set your eyes yet further," Nóm said. "And wise, to not fear such a journey as did your kin in the darkness."

"You are the wise one, my Nóm," Balan teased. "But do not judge mortals so harshly! There are those of your people who also hid in the dark; I met the ones you call Avari. They urged me to abandon my quest, and yet it has brought me to your halls."

Nóm wrapped himself in Balan's arms, snuggling closer to him. Balan's chest hair tickled his nose, and he sneezed.

"You are brave as a great white bear, and just as hairy!" he exclaimed.

Balan flexed his bicep, and Nóm squeezed it admiringly. "I've never met such a bear, so I can't say if you're right, but your flattery is sweet as always."

"We saw them on the Ice," Nóm said, looking past him with a sudden solemnity. Balan shivered as he spoke, as if the cold of Nóm's memories seeped into their cozy room. "Fearsome creatures...more so even than the great brown mountain bears. They could tear you apart in one swipe of their paw...it took seven warriors to bring one down. Three of them died. The High King still has its pelt..."

Balan stroked Nóm's perfect golden hair gently, remaining solid as he floated in memory. The fey-folk were like that, sometimes, but after all these years together Balan knew that what Nóm needed was someone to ground him.

Nóm's eyes refocused and he smiled sadly at Balan. "Ai, Bëor, what shall I do without you?" he murmured.

"That time has not yet come," Balan told him gently. "Do not worry yourself, I have many years left in my bones, and I will chase away any bears who come near to you."

Nóm pouted, the sun shining through his smirk once again. "_Any_ bear? Even yourself?"

Balan laughed. "I cannot very well chase myself away," he conceded, "but I can chase _you_ about the bedroom if you wish it."

Nóm let out a peal of golden laughter, bright and warm as his very soul, and leapt from Balan's arms. "You are forever vigorous, my Bëor!" he cried. "May your hröa never weaken!"

Balan stood and lumbered toward him, growling like a bear through his wide grin. The game was fun, and Nóm's hips swung in a flirtatious way that awoke a hunger even in a wise old bear like himself.

"I'm coming for you, Nóm!" he rumbled, and laughing his lover sped away, Balan in hot pursuit.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and commenting!  
You can find me on tumblr [@arofili](http://arofili.tumblr.com/).


End file.
